2018 FIDE Chess Election Update

In our 11 years of chess journalism in Chessdom, we have always aimed for full objectivity when covering FIDE elections or chess related politics. We thought nothing can surprise us anymore, yet it is the first time that we have to report on such a weird case.

On 25 April 2018, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov sent a letter to the president of the Russian Chess Federation (RCF) Mr. Andrey Filatov informing RCF officially about his ticket for the upcoming FIDE elections. The ticket, also announced on the personal website of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, includes the following people:

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov (Russia) – President of FIDE.

Behgjet Isa Pacolli (Kosovo) – Deputy President.

Glen Stark (USA) – Secretary General.

Princess Rajadarasri Jayankura (Thailand) – Vice President.

Inal Sheripov (Belgium) – Vice President.

Tahar Battikh (Tunisia) – treasurer.

The eyebrow riser in this ticket is position No.3 (see the scanned letter below) where there is a person named as “Glen Stark” as candidate General Secretary of FIDE from USA, despite Ilyumzhinov being on the US sanctions list.

In the CV of the person named “Glen Stark”, as sent to several members of the chess community and is linked below, it is written that Glen Stark’s website is http://www.glstark.com and, among others, his CV (RUS) statesthat he is:a) vice-president of the US government controlled executive board of Office of American Innovation https://www.darpa.mil,b) a “member” of several private companies,c) a member of the Board of the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania andd) a member of the Writers Guild of America.

Furthermore, we have seen a reply from the Writers Guild of America (attached scan below) confirming that a member named “Glen Stark” does not exist in their database.

There are tens of “Glen Stark” names on the internet, but the particular “Glen Stark” character who is supposed to be a Vice-President of a US government organisation, a board member of the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania or a member of the Writers Guild of America does not seem to exist.

There is of course the other possibility, that “Glen Stark” exists, but as a US citizen, he is afraid to show his real personality because the US government forbids US persons to have business ties with Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, as part of the sanctions list.

So the logical questions come: does Kirsan Ilyumzhinov believe he can govern FIDE with virtual or non-virtual “Glen Stark” characters as members of the FIDE board? Are the “Glen Stark” methods the way that a serious sport organisation such as FIDE should operate from now on in order to avoid US sanctions? Does Kirsan Ilyumzhinov have any real photos of him with “Glen Stark”? Has any FIDE Organiser or Official ever met this “Glen Stark” character who is supposed to be running for the position of FIDE General Secretary?

There is more on this story, it is a developing one and we will continue our own research and keep you updated.